Apple Watch beats in sync with dedicated heart rate monitors

If you've been wondering how accurate the Apple Watch's heart rate monitor is, we now have a better look at how exactly it performs against dedicated devices. Engineer Brad Larson measured the Apple Watch agains the Mio Alpha, and found they reported similar results after a run:

Aside from the Apple Watch capturing heartrate once per 5 s, and the Mio Alpha every 3 s, the readings are nearly identical. Impressed.

The Apple Watch heart rate monitor uses light to measure blood flow under your skin. While these new results point to the Apple Watch taking accurate readings, if you still feel that you need some external help, be sure to follow our guide to pairing an external heart rate monitor with your watch.